Mortality data are essential to identify the public health importance of different diseases and allocate resources appropriately. This descriptive study was carried out to assess the pattern of mortality in Basra governorate in southern Iraq using the death records from the civil registry system for 2 years [1978 and 2007]. The overall age-standardized mortality rate was lower in 2007 than 1978 [7.95 versus 8.70 per 1000], so too were the age-specific mortality rates, with the exception of that for young adults, which was 22% higher. The leading cause of death in both years was cardiovascular diseases, while cancer was the third leading cause in 1978 and the second in 2007. Mortality rates were 45.5% lower for infectious diseases in 2007 compared with 1978, 39.5% lower for respiratory diseases, 50.0% lower for digestive system diseases, 66.7% higher for congenital malformations and 4-fold higher for endocrine and nutritional diseases